Chapter 0025

As Tempest bemoan her terrible luck, attracting the nut job left and right, another woman was silently screaming in frustration over the antics of an aloof monster wrecking havoc over her orderly plan.

The black haired mercenary leader in question constantly looks back towards the red mage with a conflicted expression. If Tempest was leading the group, Amber thought there would be a 90% chance they will complete their mission with less than 4 casualties.

The stupid dies, despite all the precaution in place for their safety. It’s a wasted effort to even try and save them. They might even be the legendary pig teammate that get anyone trying to save them killed. They are better off dead.

“It’s no use looking. Logic and insanity are mutually exclusive.” Jean Gretnore, princess of the Credule Kingdom said in a calm manner.

Before attempting the test to become the disciple of the Brilliant Yin Sect, Amber and her friends investigated their rivals. Aside from the mysterious Cassie Fimert and the low key Terra Severalis, whom no one notice or pay attention to, Amber was wary of this haughty yet seemingly stupid princess from the Credule Kingdom.

The Credule Kingdoms sits in the middle of a major trade route in the Magus Alliance, surrounded by three other kingdoms, the Senance Kingdom, the Livure Kingdom and the Erythais Kingdom. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, the ruler of the Credule Kingdom place high expectations on their descendants, severely punishing those who don’t pass the expectations placed upon them, sometimes openly killing the failures.

Although the Magus Alliances heavily frown upon filicide, they tend not to interfere with a kingdom’s politics.

To survive in a prosperous yet ambiguously weak country like Credule, the royals either have high potentials, a powerful backer or a cunning mind.

Amber believes Jean fell into the third category, a cunning mind. Jean wouldn’t be here if her potential is high. Her kingdom will spare no effort to groom her if her potential is high. A powerful backer is unlikely. Again, she wouldn’t be here if she had a powerful backer. So that left the third option, a cunning mind.

“The powerful think differently from the masses. We need everyone here to work together to kill the Sundered Lion while a powerful mage can kill it with a snap of their fingers.”

Jean was surprised by the retort. She turned to study the woman she disregarded before. Waist length silky black hair, starling clear amber eyes, flawless milky white skin, a slender build clad in protective leather, and a cheap sword at her back gave her an aura of a rich girl coming out of her for the first time to play.

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While Jean was studying Amber, Amber was studying Jean. Beautiful blond hair, innocent blue eyes, flawless white skin that never has been baked by the sun, an exaggerated hourglass figure with big breasts encased in a green silk tunic and an ornate sword at her side screams pampered rich girl to anyone who sees her. Royalties and their need to be presentable attired at all times!

Suddenly a weak line of karma activated between the two, sharing snippets of information about their relationship in their past lives, the tragedies they face, the final moments of their death as well as their promise to each other if they should meet in their next life.

The memories lasted a few seconds at most yet its impact on the duo can not be denied. Sadness and helplessness grip the duo as they tried to process the information given to them.

It was due to years of interacting with the royal family that allowed Jean to keep her posture or else she’d be crying like the stranger yet not stranger before her.

The line of karma affects Amber harder than Jean since her soul was the sources of the karma line.

“Eternal friendship in one lifetime severed by death…”

“...To be reunited by life and fate,”

“We vow to renew our accord of sisterhood.”

The pact spoken moments before their death, uttered again with conviction and love strengthen the karma line between the duo.

Jean turned away from the crying Amber, giving the young girl time to compose herself. She can not tolerate Amber’s tears.

“Don’t you dare bully Amber!” Senna and Bailey charge over once they had a clear view of Amber’s face. Over the years they’ve known each other, Amber cried four times.

Suddenly Amber and Jean were surrounded by the spectators watching the show for their amusements, add more fuel to the fire with their admonishment.

“A high and mighty princess reduce to bullying a commoner for her amusement. The royal has descended to decadence for one of its members to stoop so low.”

“I thought Jean was a helpless innocent woman, but now I knew better. She was waiting for the chance to take revenge.”

“The royals of any kingdom are like that. They maintain their superiority by oppressing the weak.”

“I didn’t think she’d show her true face so soon. Those arrogant royals wield their authority like their own sword and cut down anyone that gets in their way. Of course she would be arrogant.”

There was one trying to defend the princess while everyone else was trying to pull her down, trying to eliminate a rival.

Jean knew no one will believe her if she tried to defend herself, so she didn’t even try. At least now she knew her position in the Credule royal family as well as in the mercenary camp. Though she held the title of princess, she was nothing but a disposable pawn in the eyes of the ruler. They wouldn’t send backstabbing servants otherwise.

Because of the machinations of her servants and Jean’s wait and see attitude, the mercenaries hated her group. They wanted nothing more than for the bossy slut to die in the trials. They didn’t have the power to force her out of the test themselves, but it didn’t stop their hateful thoughts.

Amber was in no condition to clarify the situation since she was in the grips of the emotions imparted to her by the karma line between her and Jean.

Strangers, yet best friends for a lifetime, supporting and protecting each other through thick and thin only to be cruelly killed by their enemies yet despite the odds, they meet each other again in another lifetime. How was Amber going to explain to her sisters the bond she shared with Jean.

“We will talk later,” their gaze spoke of their intent, as if they have they’ve grown up together.

With a sneer at the jeering crowd, Jean left without a backward glance.

Aria Se Jivock and Xing Zhi assess the mercenary. Aria Se Jivock might have alternative motives for monitoring the disciple test, but she still is an examiner for the Brilliant Yin Sect and had a duty to fulfill.

Both saw the interaction between Amber Elgand and Jean Gretnore, yet only Aria Se Jivock understood the improbability of a karma line from the previous life forming between two people. The silver hair cultivator turned to look at Tempest with glee, whispering silently in her heart, “I was right. She does have a karma line to the Heaven Defyer. Only the emergence of the Heaven Defyer can make the improbable possible.”